Vehicle and figure toy



Oct. 10, 1939. R. J. LOHR VEHICLE AND FIGURE TOY Filed Jan. 21, 1939 r INVENTOR V inn/0M0 .4 zwsw I BY v M ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 10, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFiCE VEHICLE AND FIGURE TOY poration of New York Application January 21,

18 Claims.

l"his invention relates to toys, and more particularly to vehicle toys.

The primary object of my invention is to generally improve vehicle toys. A more particular object resides in the provision of a vehicle toy combined with a simulated figure, and arranged to produce a very comical effect in the course of its operation.

In accordance with features and objects of the present invention, the vehicle toy is provided with a dump body, and the figure is normally located in the dump body, but preferably simulatedly holds a support independent of the dump body, as for example, a simulated steering wheel. The arrangement of the parts is such that when the dump body tilts, it throws the figure upwardly out of the dump body. Ancillary objects are to facilitate the desired operation without materially hindering the tilting of the dump body, and to this end the figure is made hollow and of thin light-weight material such as sheet Celluloid. Moreover, the edge of the dump body which bears against the figure is preferably given a broad and well rounded surface in order to slide relative to the figure with a minimum of friction.

Still another object of the invention is to provide for automatic tilting and restoring of the dump body, and this is preferably done by a suitable motor, most conveniently a spring motor. However, in the present case, the relation between the motor and the tilting of the dump body is made comparatively indirect, the motor being more directly used to improve the amusing action of the toy by erratically propelling the vehicle. More specifically, the motor functions to provide an automatically reversing drive for the vehicle, it being moved alternately forwardly and rear- Wardly. Moreover, the complete toy is preferably balanced rather closely about its rear wheels, these being so located that the toy will rest either on the front and rear wheels, or in an upwardly reared position with the front wheels elevated and the rear end of the toy depressed. This tilting or rearing of the complete toy is produced periodically by the back and forth propulsion of the toy.

In accordance with the present invention, the dump body is so pivoted and arranged relative to the toy, that when the toy is tilted or rear-ed upwardly, the body dumps, and conversely, when the toy settles back on its front wheels, the body is restored to normal position. The front wheels act as a front stop, and the inertia of the dump body when the front wheels strike the floor, helps ensure restoration of the dump body to 1939, Serial No. 252,091

normal position. A stop is preferably intentionally provided at the rear of the toy to produce a similar effect when the toy tilts or rears about the driving wheels. Moreover, the rear stop may be so dimensioned as to provide adequate clearance for the desired dumping action.

A further object of the invention is to produce erratic steering of the vehicle, and to this end, the motor drive is preferably applied to one only of the two rear wheels, and the front wheels are preferably loosely pivoted to turn in any desired direction.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and such other objects may hereinafter appear, my invention consists in the toy vehicle and figure elements and their relation one to the other, as hereinafter are more particularly described in the specification and sought to be defined in the claims.

The specification is accompanied by drawing,- in which:

Fig. l is a side elevation showing a toy embodying features of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the parts in tilted or dumped relation; and

Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the toy.

Referring to the drawing, the toy comprises a vehicle V having a body B pivotally mounted thereon for dumping action. A figure F is carried in body B, and is preferably connected to a support which in this case is'the simulated steering wheel W. Comparing Figs. 1 and 2, it will be evident that when the body B is tilted about its fulcrum or pivot rod l2, relative to the vehicle V, the figure F is thrown upwardly out of body B,- thus changing the position of the figure from that shown in Fig. l to that shown in Fig. 2. To accommodate this movement, the figure is preferably pivotally related to the support or wheel W. In the present case, it is convenient to provide the pivotal connection between the arms and body of the figure, as is indicated by the rod or pin I l. The arms it of the figure are rigidly secured to the wheel W by means of a wire l8 which is looped about the simulated hands of the figure, and passes through or is otherwise appropriately secured to the wheel W.

The figure F is preferably made light in'weight in order not to constitute an excessive load inhibiting dumping of body B. In the present case the figure is hollow, and is made in accordance with known methods out of exceedingly thin, light-weight sheet Celluloid, or equivalent material. Moreover, the upper edge of the front wall 28 of the body is preferably provided with a broad, rounded surface, as is indicated at 22 In the present case, the body is made of sheet metal, and the surface 22 is formed by simply curling the upper edge of the front wall around to form the desired surface. This slides freely over the forward part of the figure during the dumping action. The side walls 25 and the rear wall 25 may, if desired, be provided with similar edges, but these are more preferably terminated in the conventional manner by a compact reversed folding of the edge, which is intended merely to avoid a sharp edge, and to somewhat stiffen the walls of the body.

As so far described, the dump body B might be mounted on any suitable vehicle, and the desired dumping action might be obtained in any desired fashion. In the specific toy here illustrated, the dump body is mounted on a special type of vehicle which runs in a most erratic manner, and which repeatedly tilts about the rear wheels. The tilting of the complete vehicle is itself used as a means to produce the desired dumping of the body B. Referring to the drawing, the vehicle V runs on rear wheels 28 and 321 which are located intermediate the front and rear ends of the toy. The toy is so balanced that it will rest on either the front wheels 32, as shown in Fig. 1, or on a stop 34 at the rear of the toy, as is shown in Fig. 2.

The toy is propelled by a spring motor of known type, this motor comprising a main spring 36 (Fig. 3) spirally wound about a vertical winding stem 38 (Fig. 1) the lower end of which is bent to form a winding key 4!). A gear 42 (Fig. 3) is mounted on winding stem 38, and may be driven through appropriate conventional ratchet mechanism (not shown) to permit winding of the spring without rotation of the gearing. Gear 42 meshes with a pinion 44, which in turn drives a mutilated crown gear 46 nearly half of the teeth of which are cut away. The rear axle 48 of the vehicle carries pinions D and. 52 adapted to alternately mesh with the mutilated crown gear 46. It will be understood that although crown gear 46 rotates in one direction, the axle 48 is alternately rotated in opposite directions, depending upon which of the pinions 50 and 52 is engaged by the crown gear. It will also be understood that the number of teeth left on the crown gear is such that one pinion comes into engagement just as the other pinion is freed from engagement. The axle is thus driven forwardly for several revolutions, and then rearwardly for several revolutions. Both of the rear wheels 28 and 30 may be secured to the rear axle 48, but it is preferable to secure only one wheel to the rear axle, the other preferably being loosely rotatable on the axle.

The resulting backward and forward drive of the vehicle by means of the motor causes the vehicle to alternately assume the positions of Figs. 1 and 2. Moreover, the dump body B is so balanced that when the vehicle rears upwardly about its drive wheels as shown in Fig. 2, the body tilts to dumping position, and conversely, when the vehicle returns to the normal running position shown in Fig. 1, the dump body is restored to normal position. This desired action of the dump body is ensured by reason of its own inertia, for the tilting of the vehicle is stopped somewhat abruptly by the rear stop 34, or by the front wheels 32 acting as a front stop, and the tendency of the dump body to continue its movement causes it to safely change from one position to the other.

The front wheels 32 are freely rotatable on a front axle 54 carried in a suitable support or bracket 56, said bracket being freely rotatable about a pin 58. In this way the front wheels are permitted to turn freely in any direction, 5 and this fact, taken together with the fact that one only of the rear wheels is driven, causes the vehicle to operate in an erratically curved path. Of course, the dumping action and the ejection of the figure from the dump body will take place with the toy running back and forth on a straight line. For this purpose alone, both rear wheels may be secured to the rear axle, and the front wheels may be secured in proper position to cause rectilinear movement of the vehicle. However, the unexpected turns performed by the vehicle combines with the other features to produce a greatly augmented comical effect, and makes the operation of the toy quite complex and puzzling to the observer, whereas with the toy running back and forth on a straight line, the operation would quickly become apparent.

It is believed that the construction and operation, as well as the many desirable features of my improved toy, will be apparent from the foregoing detailed description thereof. In operation, the toy runs a bit in a curved erratic path, stops, rears upwardly, the body dumps and throws the figure upwardly, the toy settles back on its front wheels with a slight bump, and almost simultaneously therewith, the body swings downwardly from dumped to normal position, and the figure returns to its driving position in the body. The toy then runs a bit in a curved erratic path, and then again balks and rears upwardly to dump the body and figure, as aforesaid.

It will be apparent that while I have shown and described my invention in a preferred form, many changes and modifications may be made in the structure disclosed, without departing from the spirit of the invention defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A toy simulating a vehicle having a tiltable dump body thereon, and a figure in said dump body, the body and figure being so proportioned and mounted that when the dump body is tilted to dumping position the figure is thrown upwardly by the dump body.

2. A toy simulating a vehicle having a tiltable dump body thereon, a figure standing in said dump body and holding a support outside the dump body, the body of said figure being pivotally related to the support and the parts being so proportioned that when the dump body is tilted to dumping position the figure is thrown upwardly by the dump body.

3. A toy simulating a vehicle having a tiltable dump body thereon, a simulated steering wheel on said toy in front of the dump body, a figure simulating a driver standing in said dump body and holding the steering wheel, the parts being so proportioned that when the dump body is in normal position the driver simulatedly drives the vehicle, but when the dump body is tilted to dumping position the driver is thrown upwardly out of the dump body.

4. A toy simulating a vehicle having a tiltable dump body thereon, a figure standing in said dump body and holding a support, said figure being hollow and made of thin sheet Celluloid or like material which is very light in weight, the body of said figure being pivotally related to the support and the parts being so proportioned 75 that when the dump body is tilted to dumping position the figure is thrown upwardly by the dump body.

5. A toy simulating a vehicle having a tiltable dump body thereon, a figure standing in said dump body and holding a support, the body of said figure being pivotally related to the support and the parts being so proportioned that when the dump body is tilted to dumping position the figure is thrown upwardly by the dump body, the forward upper edge of the dump body being so shaped as to form a broad rounded surface for easy sliding movement relative to the figure.

6 A toy simulating a vehicle having a tiltable dump body thereon, a. figure in said dump body, the parts being so proportioned and mounted that when the dump body is tilted to dumping position the figure is thrown upwardly by the dump body, and motor means for automatically causing the dump body to change position.

'7. A toy simulating a vehicle having a tiltable dump body thereon, a figure standing in said dump body and holding a support outside the dump body, the body of said figure being pivotally related to the support and the parts being so proportioned that when the dump body is tilted to dumping position the figure is thrown up wardly by the dump body, and motor means for automatically causing the dump body to change from normal position to dumping position and back again.

8. A toy simulating a vehicle having a tiltable dump body thereon, a simulated steering wheel on said toy in front of said dump body, a figure simulating a driver standing in said dump body and holding the steering wheel, the parts being so proportioned that when the dump body is in normal position the driver simulatedly drives the vehicle. but when the dump body is tilted to dumping position the driver is thrown upwardly out of the dump body, and motor means for propelling said vehicle and for automatically causing the dump body to change position.

9. A toy simulating a vehicle having a tiltable dump body thereon, a figure in said dump body, the body and figure being so proportioned and mounted that when the dump body is tilted to dumping position the figure is thrown upwardly by the dump body, front wheels on said vehicle, a rear axle and wheels about which the toy is so balanced that it will rest on either the front and rear wheels, or on the rear wheels with the front wheels reared upwardly, a driving motor connected to a rear wheel and so arranged as to drive the same alternately forwardly and rearwardly, the balance of the toy being such that it is tilted upwardly and downwardly about the rear wheels as the toy is propelled back and forth by the motor, the pivoting of the dump body being such that the body is clumped when the toy is tilted and the body is restored to normal position when the toy is dropped to normal position.

is. A toy simulating a vehicle having a tiltable dump body thereon, a figure standing in said dump body and holding a support, the body of said figure being pivotally related to the support, and the parts being so proportioned that when the dump body is tilted to dumping position the figure is thrown upwardly by the dump body, front wheels on the vehicle, a rear axle and wheels about which the toy is so balanced that will rest on either the front and rear wheels, or on the rear wheels with the front wheels reared upwardly, a driving motor connected to a rear wheel and so arranged as to drive the same alternately forwardly and rearwardly, the balance of the toy being such that it is tilted upwardly and downwardly about the rear wheels as the toy is propelled back and forth by the motor, the pivoting of the dump body being such that the body is dumped when the toy is tilted, and the body is restored to normal position when the toy is dropped to normal position.

11. A toy simulating a vehicle having a tiltable dump body thereon, a simulated steering wheel on said toy, a figure simulating a driver standing in said dump body and holding the steering wheel, the parts being so proportioned that when the dump body is in normal position the driver simulatedly drives the vehicle, but when the dump body is tilted to dumping position the driver is thrown upwardly by the dump body, front wheels on said vehicle, a rear axle and wheels about which the toy is so balanced that it will rest on either the front and rear wheels, or on the rear wheels with the front wheels reared upwardly, a driving motor connected to a rear wheel and so arranged as to drive the same alternately forwardly and rearwardly, the balance of the toy being such that it is tilted upwardly and downwardly about the rear wheels as the toy is propelled back and forth by the motor, the pivoting of the dump body being such that the body is dumped when the toy is tilted and the body is restored to normal position when the toy is dropped to normal position.

12. A toy simulating a vehicle having a tiltable dump body thereon, a simulated steering wheel on said toy, a figure simulating a driver standing in said dump body and holding the steering wheel, the parts being so proportioned that when the dump body is in normal position the driver simulatedly drives the vehicle, but when the dump body is tilted to dumping position the driver is thrown upwardly out of the dump body, freely pivoted front wheels for erratically steering the toy vehicle, a rear axle and driving wheels about which the toy is so balanced that it will rest on either the front and rear wheels, or on the rear wheels with the front wheels reared upwardly, a driving motor connected to one of said rear wheels and so arranged as to drive the same alternately forwardly and rearwardly, the other rear wheel being freely rotatable on the axle, the balance or" the toy being such that it is tilted upwardly and downwardly about the rear wheels as the toy is propelled back and forth by the motor, the pivoting of the dump body being such that the body is dumped when the toy tilted, and the body is restored to normal position when the toy is dropped to normal position on its front wheels.

13. A toy simulating a vehicle having a tiltable dump body thereon, a stop at the forward end of the toy, a stop at the rear end of the toy, a rear axle and wheels so located between the front and rear stops that the toy will rest on either the front stop or the rear stop, a driving motor connected to a rear wheel and so arranged as to rive the same alternately forwardly and rear- Wardly, the balance of the toy being such that it is tilted upwardly and downwardly about the rear wheels as the toy is propelled back and forth by the motor, the pivoting of the dump body being such that it is dumped when the toy is tilted to rest on the rear stop, and is restored to normal position when the toy is lowered to rest on the front stop.

14. A toy simulating a vehicle having a tiltable dump body thereon, a figure standing in said dump body and holding a support, the body of said figure being pivotally related to the support, and the parts being so proportioned that when the dump body is tilted to dumping position the figure is thrown upwardly by the dump body, a stop at the forward end of the toy, a stop at the rear end of the toy, a rear aXle and wheels so located between the front and rear stops that the toy will rest on the rear wheels and either the front stop or the rear stop, a driving motor connected to a rear wheel and so arranged as to drive the. same alternately forwardly and rearwardly, the balance of the toy being such that it is tilted upwardly and downwardly about the rear wheels as the toy is propelled back and forth by the motor, the pivoting of the dump body being such that it is dumped when the toy is tilted to rest on the rear stop, and is restored to normal position when the toy is lowered to rest on the front stop.

15. A toy simulating a vehicle having a tiltable dump body thereon, a figure standing in said dump body and holding a support, the body of said figure being pivotally related to the support and the parts being so proportioned that when the dump body is tilted to dumping position the figure is thrown upwardly by the dump body, a front wheel at the forward part of the toy, a motion limiting stop at the rear end of the toy, a rear axle and wheels so located between the front wheel and rear stop that the toy will rest on the rear wheels and either the front wheel or the rear stop, a driving motor connected to a rear wheel and so arranged as to drive the same alternately forwardly and rearwardly, the balance of the toy being such that it is tilted upwardly and downwardly about the rear wheels as the toy is propelled back and forth by the motor, the pivoting of the dump body being such that it is dumped when the toy is tilted to rest on the rear stop, and is restored to normal position when the toy is lowered to rest on the front wheel, the rear stop affording adequate clearance for dumping of the dump body.

16. A toy simulating a vehicle having a tiltable dump body thereon, front wheels on said vehicle,

a rear axle and wheels about which the toy is so balanced that it will rest on either the front and rear wheels, or on the rear wheels with the front wheels reared upwardly, a driving motor connected to a rear wheel and so arranged as to drive the same alternately forwardly and rearwardly, the balance of the toy being such that it is tilted upwardly and downwardly about the rear wheels as the toy is propelled back and forth by the motor, the pivoting of the dump body being such that the body is dumped when the toy is tilted and the body is restored to normal position when the toy is dropped to normal position.

17. A vehicle toy comprising a chassis, a figure standing thereon and holding a support, the body of the figure being pivotally related to the support, an inertia body tiltably mounted on the chassis and arranged to engage the figure in order to throw the figure upwardly when the inertia body is tilted in one direction, and to permit the figure to return to standing position when the inertia body is tilted in the other direction, wheels on said chassis, a driving motor connected to a rear wheel and arranged to drive the chassis alternately forwardly and rearwardly, the balance of the chassis being such that it is tilted upwardly and downwardly as the toy is propelled back and forth by the motor, the mounting of the inertia body being such that it is tilted relative to the chassis to throw the figure upwardly when the chassis is tilted, and is restored to normal position when the chassis is lowered to normal position.

18. A vehicle toy comprising a chassis, wheels thereon, a driving motor connected to a wheel for driving the toy alternately forwardly and rearwardly and for tilting the chassis upwardly and downwardly as the toy is propelled back and forth by the motor, and a dump body pivotally mounted on the chassis, the pivoting of the dump body being such that it is dumped relative to the chassis when the chassis is tilted one way and is restored to normal position relative to the chassis when the chassis tilts in opposite direction.

RAYMOND J. LOI-IR. 

